Sympathy for the devil
by samanddianefan10
Summary: In the end of times, keep your friends close but your enemies even closer.
1. Chapter 1

Walter woke up, not quite dead but not quite alive. His entire family was gone, and even Jessie too. He had no idea what had happened, but this was literally a world gone mad. They were everywhere, the creatures, and each day he did the best he could. He kept busy- he had his underground work station, where he continued to produce almost every day. What for, he didn't know. But it kept him busy, and that meant it kept him alive. He lived to forget, forget the loss of his family and friends and the world that he knew of. Why he bothered to stay alive, he didn't know, but he couldn't give up now. Not when for the past year he'd tried so hard just to survive.

But this was a new kind of survival. Those...those...creatures were everywhere. Every time he peeked outside for air he could see them, so he quickly hid before they could find him. It would only be a matter of time, but for now, he would go out the way he'd always planned- in his own way, on his terms. He sure wouldn't let himself get turned into one of them.

It was funny, but from time to time instead of thinking about his family, which was most of the day, he would think of Jessie. He wondered how it happened to him, what his chances were. Not good, obviously. Jessie was many things, but staying practical wasn't one of them. He didn't have it in him to survive, even if he'd found his way back to Walter.

Jessie was a good kid, if a bit impulsive. It was probably that very character trait that led to his own demise. The day he saw Jessie coming for him Walter knew he had no other choice. Technically, it wasn't murder, as Jessie was already dead, right?

He missed his family to be sure. They were the driving force in everything he'd done. He'd made many, many mistakes during his fifty years, but taking care of his family was not one of his regrets. If any, it was that he'd been there, at the lab, when the invasion occurred.

It pained him too much to think of his innocent children, who never stood a chance. His son could only do so much to protect himself, and poor Holly was just a baby. After everything he'd been through it had been so cruel for him to lose his family, this way, this time...so he tried to forget.

There were moments he thought about sampling his product. No more territory killings, he thought ironically. He now owned the world with meth, and somehow someway that would come in handy.

By continuing to produce, it provided him with a reason to keep going on. Producing was an exact science, and by forcing his brain to work overtime, it kept the feelings from creeping in. The feelings of sadness and helplessness were the worst.

He laid down on the bench to rest, when suddenly he'd heard a noise. Oh God, they found him. He stood up, calmly, prepared for his own demise. What he didn't expect was to see another human. A real human.

"Well well well...smells like someone's a man of my own likin'," the stranger grinned.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

"Does it matter?"

Walter thought for a second. "As a matter of fact it does. If you're looking for nourishment I'm afraid I can't be of much help. So you see, moving on would be your best bet."

The stranger eyed him hungrily, almost as if he were a creature. But this wasn't a creature, was it? It was only at that moment that Walter noticed the arm. The weaponry where his hand used to be spoke volumes.

"Whatever it is you're looking for, I can assure you, I cannot help you."

The stranger looked around at the makeshift lab. "Actually...I have a proposition for you..."

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

"And what might this little proposition of yours entail?" Walter asked, his nerves working overtime.

"It seems to me we have a common interest...staying alive. If I found you who's to tell what else might find you," Merle smirked, observing his surroundings.

"And you...you think you can provide some...protection of some sort?"

Merle smiled again. "Let's just say I betcha we could come to a mutual understanding of sorts."

"And I suppose you know what it is I have to offer you...so tell me, what is it, exactly, that you could provide me?"

Merle lifted his arm. "I'm a survivor. Been out on my own for some time. I betcha we could come to an understanding. You provide me with my nourishment and I can provide you with yours."

"Here..." Walter realized quickly that this fellow wasn't going away anytime soon. "Put this on. Or you'll contaminate everything, and neither of us would have anything to offer, would we?"

He didn't have to ask Merle twice. "I got us some lunch. You like deer?"

"I prefer fillet mignon. I don't suppose you have any of that in your backpack do you?"

Merle chuckled. He was either going to really like or really hate this guy. At any rate, it didn't matter. He'd had what Merle had been without for over a year, and he would do anything, say anything, if it got him what he wanted.

"Fraid that's a bit hard to come by. But for now I made up some deer jerky. What do you say we strike us a deal?"

"Let me get this straight," Walter spat out bitterly. "I provide...let's be clear..I provide the substance you crave and you provide me with my own substanance?"

"And protection. I think I'm a tough son of a bitch, and I have a feeling we have mutual interests."

"Which would be survival of the fittest?"

"You're my kind of man. What's your name by the way?"

"Mr. White."

"Come on, everyone's got a first name. I'm Merle. You can call me anything you like, just tell me if we got us a deal?"

Deep down, Walter knew he wasn't long for the world, not this world anyways. He kind of missed Jessie, he knew that he could count on him in a pinch. Maybe this would prove to be a fatal mistake on his part, but at this point in his life he didn't have anything else to lose.

"You get me food, real food, and I'll be the one to decide how much and when and what to give you. If we do this thing we do it on my terms. Do you or do you not agree to my terms?"

At this point Merle didn't have much else to lose, so he nodded his head in agreement.

Walter repeated his statement, as he was an alpha male he wanted to make sure his authority was fully respected.

"Yes, Mr. White. I do believe we got us a deal."

And with that, the beginning of a new world for both Walter and Merle was formed.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

True to his word, within a few hours Merle brought back some food- some real food. Not that Walter much cared for deer, but anything would do during these times.

"Close the door," Walter hissed as Merle clumsily lugged in his load.

"Oh you catch on fast. You never know what might be lying behind door number two, do ya buddy?"

Walter adjusted his glasses. "I'm not your buddy. I'm not your pal. I'm Mr. White. I deserve, and you will see, I will fully earn your due respect, for what its worth. I set forth the guidelines, you do as you're told. Do we have an understanding?"

"Whatever you say bu...Mr. White. Now I do believe we have us a deal; I lived up to my end. Whatcha got for me over there?"

"Stay away from the barrels! Do not touch anything! I will hand you your day's earnings. The more you provide, the more you earn. Let me make this perfectly clear- I call the shots. I call the shots!" Walter pounded the lid on one of his barrels, then carefully regained his composure.

Merle studied this character closely. He didn't look like he could be much of a threat, Merle knew if it were hand to hand combat he could win. But there was more to this Mr. White character than what appeared, but as they had come to an agreement, who was he to argue with him?

Walter threw him a small bag. "Here. I am hopeful you will find it to your satisfaction."

Merle studied the bag closely. "Why's it blue? You trying to poison me or something?"

Walter smiled. "If I wished for your demise, trust me, it would have occurred already."

"Are you saying you...you...could kill me?"

"I did not say and you did not hear that. It's just important that we have...boundaries. I hope you understand my predicament. Here I am, a man of survival, allowing an outsider into my environment. One can never be too careful these days, can one?"

Merle quickly sampled the product that had been so casually tossed to him. "Hoo..hee...I think we got ourselves more than an arrangement. You, Mr. White, are my new best friend. Here's to a beautiful friendship!" He grinned at Walter, sending shivers down the teacher's spine.

Whatever it was, it wasn't friendship. It was survival, pure and simple. Walter had no family left, no friends. He didn't need friends. What he needed was protection, and if this lunkhead would do the job, then so be it. Not that he wouldn't be on his toes around Merle. He would be careful, very careful. All of these months he'd wondered why he'd continued to..needed to...produce. The answer to his longtime question appeared to him in this form, a strange, backward, simple man. But Walt had learned, probably from Jessie, not to underestimate anyone. He knew that if he were to do so, that would be his fatal mistake.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

So within a matter of a week, Walter found himself enjoying Merle's presence. Well, enjoy was too strong of a word, but after being on his own for the past five months it was kind of refreshing to have some company. Apparently any company would do these days.

"So, Mr. White, you got anyone waiting on you?"

Walter thought about it. Anything he revealed about himself could be used against him- he'd learned that from Gus. But at any rate, what harm could a little conversation do?

"Nope. Had a wife, a beautiful wife, and two kids. But that's neither here nor there. You?"

Merle chuckled to himself. "Had a bastard of a father and a no good mother, but they been gone a long time. Until this shit happened it was me and my baby brother. He's a good kid, weak but good. I guess he took me for dead because..."

Walt tilted his glasses in fascination. It was kind of refreshing to get his mind off his own problems for a change. "Yes?"

"You see this?" Merle lifted his wounded hand. "I did it to myself. I guess I crossed a few paths and got myself chained on a rooftop. They all left me for dead, they did. I suppose," he sighed. "In these days a man's got to do what a man's got to do." His John Wayne reference was not lost on Walter.

"I find it unbelievable that I would say this, but I find myself in a strange predicament. I find myself actually agreeing with you."

Merle put his bag of meth down and stood up staring angrily at Walter. "You saying there's something wrong with agreeing with me?"

Putting his hand in the air to call a truce, Walter thought quickly. "No. Please don't take offense. I didn't mean anything by it. I just meant that...well, it's been a long time since I've been around another person. You're the first human I've seen in months. Forgive me if my people skills are a bit off."

"Aw, shucks man. I didn't mean no harm. It's just that this shit gets me a little hotheaded if you know what I mean."

"Then why do you do it?"

"Have you tried it?"

Walter shook his head.

Merle stared at him in disbelief. "Are you kidding? This stuff's the bomb, the best I ever had. And that says a lot."

"Unquestionably."

"Anyways, my baby brother, Daryl...he's all right. I just don't know if he has what it takes to make it in this world."

"Is there..."

"No there's nothing wrong with him. Nothing that our daddy's fist could take care of." Looking away, Merle did not want to reveal too much of himself to this Mr. White. He never really did talk about his past, not even with Daryl. It went without saying that they had a bad lot in life.

"Your dad beat your brother?" Walter stared in disbelief.

"Yeah. I got it once in a while but I grew tall and strong while Daryl, he, he kind of took to himself. Kind of the silent type that drove the girls crazy but he didn't see it. What I wouldn't give to be his age again..."

"What did you do? Did you step in to protect Daryl?"

"Na. After I thought I knocked up a girl I left town for awhile. Then I really left, not of my own accord if you know what I mean."

A convict. Walter White was now rooming with a convict. Unbelievable.

"So...have you tried to find your brother?"

"What's the point? I'd probably get killed out there trying. Ain't no one worth dying for."

Great. Now Walter felt that much safer.

"I'm not trying to get rid of you, nor am I trying to tell you what to do. Don't you think it's time you did right by your brother? After all, you're all he has left in the world."

"I dunno man. When's the last time you stepped out there?"

"Just something to think about. Now if you'll excuse me I need my beauty sleep."

Merle found that funny for some reason. Walter really couldn't tell if he pitied or hated the guy. Whichever it was, he found himself praying for a way out of the situation he now found himself in. It was going to be a long night.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

So within a week Merle and Walter were packed, headed to places unknown in search of Merle's baby brother, Daryl. It had taken some talking to from Walter in order to get Merle to take on this task; it had taken even more talking to to get Walter to agree to come with him.

"_So this is it? You're just going to leave your little brother out there, for God knows what to befall him?"_

"_Don't you think he did it to me? Why should I do him any favors?" Merle angrily demanded._

"_You see," Walter studied his comrade carefully. "Family is all that matters. Family is everything. Without family, you're nothing. You might as well be dead."_

"_You wish you were?"_

_Walter didn't say anything. Instead he continued to stare at Merle for a few seconds, reconsidering his position._

"_How did you feel, knowing your brother left you out there?"_

_Merle raised his hand. "This is all I got these days. You and this, I mean."_

"_No offense, but I would hardly consider you family. Come on, Merle. You don't strike me as a dumb man. Do you really think that your brother has abandoned you, given up on you altogether, written you off?"_

"_I don't know, man. He ain't come found me yet, so what does that say about him?"_

"_Maybe he's too busy staying alive to try to look for you. For all you know he may be out there all alone, trying to find his way back to you. If I thought for the remotest chance that my family were out there, don't you think I'd be out there instead of this hell hole that we've created for ourselves?"_

"_What one man's idea of hell is another's idea of heaven," Merle grinned mischievously as he took another hit of the product that Walter had made so readily available to him._

"_You can't be serious? You'd rather be here doing this shit than to take care of your own, your own!" Walter started to raise his voice. To him, family had been everything. He'd made so many mistakes, but loving his family and trying to provide for them was not one of his regrets._

"_You wanna come with me?" Merle suggested, half-joking._

"_What? You really think that I have what it takes to make it out there?"_

"_Well now that you mention it...but come on, you'll have me. I won't let anything happen to you."_

"_Why does it matter to you so much if I assist you in finding your brother? You know how to survive, you've been doing it on your own for some time, from what I've gathered about you."_

"_Look, this ain't about the drugs anymore! I don't care about that shit. I want my baby brother, and I ain't gonna beg. If you don't want to help me, just forget it. I don't care about anything, man."_

_Walter didn't say anything. Instead he grabbed Merle a week's supply of his "product" that he so favored, and then packed some things for himself. It was going to be an interesting journey, indeed._

_TBC_


	6. Chapter 6

So off they went, on the start of what was sure to be an interesting journey for the both of them. Why Walter agreed to go with Merle, he wasn't quite sure, but anything beat the isolation that he'd been living through for months.

In a way, Walter kind of felt sorry for Merle. He wasn't an educated man, by any stretch of the imagination. But the kinds of things he'd had to endure during these days, well, he wouldn't wish on any man, friend or foe. Just the sight of Merle's hand caused Walter to cringe. Could he do that to himself, considering the options? Of course he would, he surmised. Walter White was many things, but most of all, he was a survivor and a winner, out to get what he needed at all costs. Even if it had cost him the things and people he loved most in the world.

"The first order of business is food. We won't be any good to ourselves or to your brother if we don't get enough to survive on, for at least the next few days. Think you can manage that?" Walter challenged, knowing how well Merle responded to those.

"I ain't no pussy. You don't have to worry about us going hungry. Food...got it. Anything else? You got my..."

"I thought you said you didn't care about the drugs anymore; but yes, I've come well equipped to keep you happy for a short period of time. What I have in my warehouse is more than enough to keep you going for an entire lifetime."

"However long that might be."

Walter looked at Merle. He realized that in a way, Merle was wiser than he'd ever given him credit for. This was a life or death situation they were both put in now, and time was of the essence. A week. That was all Walter promised Merle before retreating back to his shelter. A week, and if they couldn't find Daryl, then the search would be called off. Merle had considered that fair enough.

So they started going through houses, careful as not to make much noise. It hadn't taken Walter or Merle long enough to realize that those creatures thrived on noise, so with as much agility and quietness that they could perform with, they started making their way through abandoned houses.

Merle was the first to strike gold. He'd found a house, stockpiled with canned goods. Most of the food was expired, but that made little difference to him. Food was food, and in these days,beggars couldn't be choosers.

He packed up as much as he could fit into his satchel, then made his way to Walter, who hadn't been expecting him so quickly.

"Don't you ever do that to me again!" Walter hissed.

"Sorry, boss, but I thought you'd like to see what I came across." He opened his bag, revealing his treasure trove of food. "Some crazy man wrote all over the walls. Lost his freaking mind, probably right before they got him."

Walter sighed. "Okay. I grabbed us some blankets and coats and some coat hangers.."

"Planning on breaking into a car?" Merle laughed, before he realized the cleverness of Walter's idea.

"Okay. We can get going. Any idea of where to start?"

"No clue."

Helpful, Merle was. "Okay. Let's go see if we can salvage a car and then get the hell out of here."

"You ain't gotta tell me twice."

So off they went, looking for Daryl but more than likely, off to find trouble.


	7. Chapter 7

So off they went, to parts unknown; equipped with some food and some basic survival skills, Walt and  
Merle weren't too sure of where to go first. Daryl could be literally anywhere at this point. They rode in silence, neither one sure of where to start as far as conversation went.

"so, Mr. white, betya you're a smart man."

"you might say that."

"Betcha didn't see this coming, did ya? This ain't exactly the way I pictured the end of the world to be."

"no, can't quite say that I did. A zombie apocalypse...not the way I want to go out. But it is what it is, so what can you do?"

"do you miss them?"

"who?"

"your family."

"what kind of question is that? Of course I miss them. Do you miss your baby brother?" walt asked in response.

"sometimes. I just hope wherever he is, he's got it better than I do. Not saying anything about you...no offense, Mr. white.:

"none taken. But what about Daryl? Do you think he's holding his own out there?"

"hopefully. He's an all right kid. I feel kind of bad, abandoning him when I was younger. But you don't understand. You don't know nothin' about problems."

Walt turned to stare icily at his comrade. "Problems? You think I don't know anything about problems? I had a handicapped son who couldn't fight them off in the end. I got a baby daughter who never stood a chance in this world. And I had the most beautiful wife in the world. I walked in one day and they were gone. All of them. So quit feeling sorry for yourself; that won't do any good and it certainly won't bring us any closer to bringing Daryl back."

"why you stopping here? We're in the middle of nowhere."

Walt observed the site. There had been life there, and by the looks of some makeshift burial sites, some tragedies as well. This might not be where they found Daryl, but it might give some hint as to the people, the family, who'd been there.

"ain't this trespassing?" Merle asked. He looked around, didn't look like much to him, but hey, Mr. white was the one with all the brains.

So they got out and started observing the land. What caught Merle's eyes were the graves; he normally wouldn't have paid much attention to them, but one thing caught his eye.

"he was here."

Merle pointed to the Cherokee rose planted by one grave site. "that's my brother's doing. He always had a thing for them flowers. Believed in magical healing powers or some shit like that."

Walt nodded. "let's go in. maybe if we're lucky we can get some sense of where he went off to. From the looks of things, he's not alone. That's a good thing."

His brother was alive. More than ever, merle was certain they would find him. What else they would find along the way, he didn't know, but daryl was alive, and for that, he knew he could keep going, just a little longer.

tbc


End file.
